Silo-door-fastening device



F. J. VAN COTT.

S'ILO DOOR FASTENING DEVICE. APPLICATION men JULY 31, 1916.

1 4.QQ 25Q Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

aha v PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J. VAN COTT, OF UNA'DILLA, NEW YORK.

SILO-DOOR-FASTENING- DEVICE Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 13, 1921.

Application filed July 31, 1916. Serial No. 112,432.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK J. VAN Corr, a citizen of the United Statesand resident of Unadilla, in the county of tsego and State of New York,have invented a certain new and useful Silo-Door-Fastening Device, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a fastener for silo doors ofsimple, durable and inexpensive construction.

A further object is to provide a fastening device of such form and shapeas to be mounted entirely upon the door or door section without the,necessity of fastening any keepers or the like on the door frame, and soarranged that when the door sections are installed the fastening deviceforms a lock and also a portion of a ladder.

Still a further object is to provide such a fastening device that whenattached to one section of a silo door, the door may be securely lockedin position without the use of tools or special instruments, and withoutrequiring the use of any separate bolts, nuts, nails or other detachableparts.

Still a further object is to provide such an attachment for fasteningsilo doors, so constructed and arranged that when the door is installedin position and the fastening device is moved to operative position thelock of the fastening device tends to force the door section downwardlyfor making a tight joint with the next lower door section, and alsodraws the door tightly against the door frame for making a tight jointat the side edges of the door.

Still a further object is to provide a fastener expressly adapted forsilo doors comprising a transverse member adapted to form the rung of aladder, and comprising lock devices operatively connected with cranks atopposite ends of the transverse member and extended through suitablekeeper members, the parts being so constructed and arranged that a tightjoint can be maintained between the door frame and door sectionregardless of considerable variations in the thickness of the doorsections with relation to the door frame.

In other words, it is my object to provide a fastener of the kindmentioned adapted to draw the door section tightly against the frame,and to form a tight joint whether the outer surface of the door is flushwith the dOOr frame or not, and even though the door section does notfit exactly in the door open ly invention consists in the construction,arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device, wherebythe objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully setforth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows a front elevation of a portion of a silo having doorsections equipped with fastening devices, embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 shows a front elevation of one end of my improved attachment,partly in section.

Fig. 3 shows a side elevation of the same as viewed from the centralportion of the silo door section to which the attachment is secured.

Fig. 4 shows a bottom or inverted plan view of the device shown in Fig.2.

In the accompanying drawings I have used the reference numeral 10 toindicate generally that portion of a silo shown, having the spacedupright door frame members 11 on opposite sides of a vertical dooropening and having the door sections 12.

It will be seen in Fig. 4, that the door frame members 11 and the doorsections 12 are provided at their side edges with ogee joints. The edgesof the door section and door frame might be beveled or otherwise shaped,so that the door section may be drawn tightly against the door framefrom the inside.

My improved fastening device comprises for each door section a bail orthe like, comprising the central horizontal member 14 having at its endsthe right-angled parallel extensions 15. The members 15 have at theirextreme ends opposite outwardly extending portions 16.

On the outer surface of each door section, near each side thereof, iswhat I shall call a retainer member 16, comprising a portion, having theform of a hollow shell, the edges of which are designed to rest againstthe surface of the door section 12.

Extending upwardly and downwardly, respectively, from the opposite edgesof the shell are vertical flanges 17 adapted to rest against the doorsection and to be secured thereto by means of bolts 18 and nuts 19.

The retainer being described, has an inner substantially vertical endwall 20 adjacent to the extension 15. In the end wall 20, approximatelyat the center thereof from top to bottom and in the edge thereof adjacent to the door section, is a substantially semi-circular slot 21adapted to rotatably receive the member 16.

In the end wall 20 is a slot 22 located sub stantially in a verticalplane and curved from the top portion of the end wall 20 outwardly anddownwardly, as shown in Fig. 8, to the lower portion of the end wall 20at the part thereof located farthest from the door section 12. It willbe seen that the slot 22 forms a guide for the movable locking member,hereinafter more fully described.

In the endof the retaining member shell opposite theend wall is a slot23, which is wider than the slot 22 and somewhat shorter than the slot22, and is inclined from its upper end, near the upper portion of theline of the rib 24.- downwardly and laterally en in both directions andfrom the rib 25 upwardly and laterally in both dlrections.

I provide a movable locking member comprising a substantially straightbolt 26 eX-X tended through the slots 20 and 23, respectively, with itscentral portion received be tween the ribs 24 and 25, and adapted to fitsubstantially against the inner surface of the retainer member 16, atthe central portion thereof, between the ribs 24 and 25 at all times. Onthe inner end of the bolt 26 is an eye 27 through which the extension 15is extended.

At its outer end the bolt 26 is bent-in such a way as to be inclinedtoward the door frame 11 when the door section is installed and the bolt26 is in substantially horizontal position, as at- 28.

Formed on the extreme end of the portion 28 is a head 29, the face ofwhich adjacent to the door frame 11 when the door section is installed,is slightly beveled in two directions from a line substantially in itshorizontal center. a

It will be understood that the retainer 16 and the movable locking bolt26, at each end of the transverse member 14, are substantially similarin construction.

In the practical use of my improved device one complete device issecured to every door section. The door section 12'is inserted into thedoor opening from the inside of the silo with the edges of the doorsection enga 'mg the edges of the door frame for forming the ogee oint,shown in Fig. 4:.

'It may be noted in this connection that anysort of a joint may be used,wherein the total width of the door section is less at its outer surfacethan at its inner surface, so that when the door section is drawn intothe door opening, its edge, whether beveled in V each movable lockingmember will be inclined downwardly and outwardly, as shown by dottedlinesin said figure, .and the upper end thereof will be at the upper endof the slot 22. J I

The door section having been installed, the horizontal member 14: isswung downwardly, whereupon the extensions 15 will swing the eyes 27downwardly causing the inner ends of the movable locking bolt 26 tofollow the curved. guide slot 22 clownwardly and outwardly. The centralportion of the bolt member 26 of the movable lookingmemberwill beretained substantially in thercentral part of the retainer 16 b tweenthe ribs 2el and 25, while the outer d of themovable locking bolt havingthe head 29 will be moved upwardly and toward the door frame 11,following the guide slot 23, and it'will be noted that during thedownward movement of the horizontal member 14:, the bolt 26 will also berotated to some extent, so that the lower beveled face of the head 29will be moved to fiat faced'engagement with the door frame 11 as thehead 29 is moved upwardly against the door frame.

During the final movement of the parts to lockingposition, the lowerinner face of the head 29 will engage the door frame 11, so that thedoor section 12 under consideration will be drawn downwardly forengaging a lower door section with its lower edge, forming a tight jointwith the next lower door section.

It will be noted that when the movable locking member is in itsinoperative position,

shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, the head 29 is not only lower than whenin its operative position, but that the head 29 is also locatedinwardlyfrom the frame 11,, and within the outline of the door section,and

when the entire device is moved to operative position, the head 29 notonly is moved upwardly and mwardlytoward the door silo door lockingdevice may be seen from the foregoing description.

Attention is called to the extreme simplicity and cheapness of itsstructure.

The retainer member may be made in the form of an ordinary casing, andit may be cast without making a single core.-

The whole device is of comparatively little weight, and yet the retainermember 16 is so constructed and so supports the movable members, thatthe entire strength of the retainer member is employed for holding theparts in their locked position.

Attention may be called to the fact also that doors equipped with thislocking device may be installed and firmly locked without the use of anywrench or other tool of any kind, and that the use of any bolts, nuts orother detachable parts, is unnecessary.

The retainer members and movable locking bolts are so located that whenthe movable locking members are being moved to their operative lockingbolt positions, by swinging the horizontal members 14 downwardly, theperson installing the door sec tion has the advantage of a lever and awedge whereby the parts may be easily moved to their proper positionsfor firmly drawing the door section against the frame.

The ribs 25 and 24 form fulerums for the bolt 26, and the slots 22 and28 form true guides, whereby the movable locking bolt is accuratelymoved to its various posi' tions.

In this connection mention may be made of the peculiar construction,whereby the end of the locking bolt 26 swings upwardly and downwardlybetween the ribs 2e and 25, and also inwardly and outwardly, and at thesame time the bolt 26 rotates slightly and moves longitudinally.

The ribs 25 and 24 are so located that the space immediately betweenthem, when the parts are installed, is below the level of the center ofthe slot 21, so that when the horizontal member 1 2 is moved to itslowermost position, the extension 15 will be inclined downwardly andoutwardly f1 om the door section, and the bolt member 26 may besubstantially horizontal, as shown in Fig. 2.

When however, the horizontal member 1a is raised for unlocking thedevice, it will be noted that the eye 27 not only swings upwardly formoving the locking bolt 26 out of horizontal position, but also followsthe extension 15 for sliding the bolt 26 longitudinally, therebyassisting in drawing the head laterally from position overlapping thedoor frame 11 to position within the outline of the door section 12,while at the same time, the curved slots 22 and 23 cause the inner endof the member 26 to move upwardly toward the door section and the outerend of the bolt member 26 moves downwardly and away from the doorsection.

There is an advantage in thus having the head 29 spaced from the doorsection at the beginning of its movement toward locked position in thatit is always enabled to properly clear the edge of the frame 11.

The eye 27 is of such size as to permit its proper play of the extension15.

n account of the arrangement of the bolt member 26 with the edges of theslots 22 and 23, the friction of the bolt 26 with said edges is so greatthat when the parts are in locking position, even though the outer endof the bolt 26may not be at the extreme end the slot 23 and the innerend of said bolt may not be at the extreme lower end of the slot 22, yetno tendency of the door to move inwardly due to expansion or contractionor otherwise from within, will move the movable locking member from itsoperative position, or permit the horizontal member to swing upwardly.

It will be noted that the lower end of the slot 22 for a substantialportion of its length is arranged almost in vertical lines, so thattendency of the door to move inwardly, due to expansion, would only tendto force the inner end of the locking member 26 directly inwardlyagainst the inner edge of the slot 22.

Another advantage of my locking device, lies in the arrangement of theinner faces of the head 29 which are so arranged that as the head 29moves upwardly, and is slightly rotated, it tends to roll slightlyagainst the door frame 11, so that the door frame 11 is not torn orgouged.

It will be noted that the construction of my locking device is such thata tight joint can be made and the door section firmly locked in positioneven where the outer surface of the door section does not come flushwith the outer surface of the door frame. This is important on accountof the fact that there is always a slight variation in the width of thedoor frame in building different silos.

The parts are so arranged and constructed that a tight joint can be madeeven if the outer surface of the door section should project slightlybeyond the outer surface of the door frame.

Gn account of the construction of the slots 22 and 23, and the ribs 24and 25, it will be seen that the variations mentioned in the last twoparagraphs may occur, and that in any of said variations in thepositions of the parts, the members i l will be in position to serve asa ladder.

Any use of the members 14 as a ladder will not interfere with thelocking of the door.

Some changes may be made in the shape and arrangement of the parts of myim- 1 eluded within the reasonable scope of my proved devicewithoutdeparting from the essential features and purposes thereof, and it is myintention to cover by this application any such modified forms ofstructure or use of mechanical equivalents, as may be inclaims.

I claim as my invention: 7

'1, In a device of the class described, a looking bolt provided with ahead, having a sun face offset from the locking bolt, a retainer memberfor said locking bolt having guide and fulcrum portions, and a memberoperatively connected with said locking bolt, the parts being soarranged that when said last member is operated, said bolt is rotated,slid longitudinally and tilted.

2. In a device of the class described, a door, a retainer member mountedon said door near one edge thereof, a member rotatably mounted in aportion of. said retainer having a substantially right-angled extension,said re- 7 tainer being provided with a pair of slots, a

fulcruming device between said slots, a removable locking memberextended through said slots and adapted to co-act with said fulcrumingdevice, having one end pivotally and slidably mounted on said extension,and having on its other end a head, the parts being so arranged thatwhen said extension is moved on its pivotal center, said head is 7 movedfrom position within the outline of gage a door frame around the door,and

the door, and spaced from the door to a position beyond the edge of theadjacent door surface for causing said head to endrawing the dooragainst such frame, or in an opposite direction, depending upon thedirection of movement of said extension.

3. In a device of the class described, a door, a retainer member mountedon said door near one edge thereof, a member rotatably mountedin aportion of said retainer having a substantially right-angled extension,said retainer being provided with a pair of slots, a

fulcruming device between said slots, a removable locking memberextended through said slots and adapted to coact with said fulcrumingdevice having one end pivotally and slidably mounted on said extensionand having on its other end an off-set head, the parts being so arrangedthat when said extension is moved on its pivotal center, said head ismoved from position within the outline of the door and spaced from thedoor to a position projecting beyond the door outline and toward theextended verticalplane of the adjacent door surface for causing saidhead to engage a door frame around the door and draw the door agalnstsuch frame, or in an opposite direction depending upon the' direction ofmovement of said extension, said head having on its side adjacent to thedoor bevelled faces, whereby when the locking member is moved to lockingposition, the

and adapted to coact with said fulcruming 7 device, having one endpivotally and-slidably mounted on said extension and having on its otherend, a head, the parts being so arranged that when said extension ismoved on its pivotal center, said head is moved from position'within theoutline of thedoor and spaced from'the door, to a position projectingbeyond the door outline, and toward the extended vertical plane of theadjacent door surface for causmg said head 'to engage a' door framearound the; door and draw the door against such frame, orin an oppositedirection, dependingupon the direction of movement of said extension,the edges of said slots being so inclined as to firmly engage themovable locking member in a varietyofits positions, so that any inwardor outward pressure of'the door will not move the movable locking memberfrom its operative looking position. 7

-5. In a device of the character described adapted to be used incombination with a closure member for silos or the like, comprising aretainer member fixed to the closure member having portions formingspaced guides and portions formlng fulcrums, a locking bolt arranged inposition to coa'ct with said guides and fulcrums, and means pivotallyand slidably connected with said locking bolt for imparting to itsliding and rotary movement. 7

6. In a device of thecharacter described, the combination ofa closuremember with a locking bolt, having a head with a surface offset from thebolt, and means for sliding and rotating and for tilting said bolt forswinging its end having the head toward or from the plane of theadjacent surface of the closure member. I v V 7 In a device of'the classdescribed, the combination of a closure member with a lockingbolt,-having an offset head, and means for sliding said bolt for movingit from position within theoutlineof'the closure member to positionprojecting beyond said outline or'vice'versa, and for rotating said boltand for tilting said bolt, whereby it will engage the surface of thesilo adja' cent to the outline of the closure member, when the parts arein their locking position.

8. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a closure 'member with a nected with said step member,and a retainer member having guide and fulcrum portions, whereby themovement or" the step member imparts sliding, tilting and rotarymovement to said bolt, whereby it will be moved fr m position within theoutline of the closure member to position projecting beyond said outlineor vice versa.

9. In a device of the class described, the combination of a closuremember with a movable step or rung member, means for pivotallysupporting said last member, a locking boltoperatively connected withsaid step member, and a retainer having guide and fulcrum portionsadapted to receive the locking bolt, whereby the movement of said stepmember operates said belt for sliding said bolt from position within tle outline of the closure member to position Jrojecting beyond saidoutline and vice versa, and for tilting one end of said bolt toward orfrom the plane in which the adjacent surface of the closure member lies.

10. In a device or the character described, the combination or" abuilding, having a door opening, a door section for fitting saidopening, a step memberhaving its ends pivotally supported on said doorsection, the ends of said step member being provided with cranks,locking devices slidably and pivotally mounted on the arms of said crankmembers, and a guide and fulcrum device for each locking device, havingmembers for engaging the locking device, whereby when the step member isswung on its pivot points, said locking devices will be rotated, slidlongitudinally and tilted, whereby the locking devices will engage thebuilding adjacent to the door opening.

11. In a device of the class described in combination with a building,having a door opening therein, and a do section adapted to be receivedwithin said door opening, retainer members fixed to said door section,and each provided with a guide and fulcrum portion, a locking boltarranged in position to coact with said guide and fulcrum, a step orrung member pivotally mounted within said retainer members and adaptedto coact with one end of the locking devices, whereby movement of thestep member upon its pivot points will cause the locking devices to berotated, slid longitudinally and tilted until the outer or free end ofthe locking devices is moved from position within the outline of thedoor section to position outside of the outline of the section member orvice versa.

12. In a device of the class described in combination with a buildinghaving a door opening therein, and a door section for fitting saidopening, a crank member having its ends pivotally supported on said doorsection, locking devices pivotally and slidably mounted on the arms ofsaid crank member, and a guide and fulcrum device for each lockingdevice, having members for engaging the locking devices, whereby whenthe crank member is swung upon its pivot points, saic locking deviceswill be rotated, moved longitudinally and tilted, so that when the doorsection is placed in said door openin and the crank member is swung uponits pivot points in one direction, the outer ends of the locking deviceswill engage and roll on the frame of the building adjacent to the dooropening for locking the door section in place.

13. In a device of the character described adapted to be used incombination with a closure member for silos or the like, comprising aretainer member fixed to the closure member, having portions formingspaced gui ,es, and portions forming fulcrums, a locking bolt arrangedin position to coact with said guides and :tulcrums, and means pivotallyand slidably connected with said locking bolt for imparting to itsliding, tilting and a rotary movement, whereby said locking bolt willbe moved to position, where the closure member will be rigidly held inplace.

1%. In a device of the class described, the combination of closuremember with a movable step or rung meml er, means for pivotallysupporting said last member, a. locking bolt operatively conn cted withsaid step member and provided with an offset head, and a retainer havingguide and tulcrum portions, whereby the movement of said step memberoperates said bolt for sliding said bolt from position within theoutline of the closure memr r to position projecting beyond outline andvice versa, and for tilting the end oi the bolt provided with the offsethead toward the plane in which the adjacent surface or" the closuremember lies.

15. In a device of the class described in combination with a building,having a door opening therein, and a door section for it ting saidopening, locling devices fixed to each side of the door section, thelocking devices comprising a retainer member provided with spacedslotted guides, and a fulcrum portion formed between the spaced, slottedguides, a locking bolt adapted to be received in said spaced guides andto extend between said fulcrum portion, the locking bolt being providedwith an otfsethead on one end and a loop on its other end, a movablestep or rung member pivotally supported on said retainer member, saidstep member being provided with crank arms at each end, which areadapted to be slidably received within the loop formed on said lockingbolt, whereby movement of said step member upon its pivotpoints willcause the locking bolt to move within the spaced guides,

whereby it will be rotated, slid longitudinally and tilted until thehead portion is moved'from position within the outline of the doorsection or vice versa, the parts being so arranged that the greatermovement of the step member in one direction will 'cause the lockingbolt to. more firmly engage the frame of the door opening. 16. In adevlce of the class descrlbed, a support, a retainer having spacedcurved guide slots and spaced fulcrums between.

said slots, a pivoted rod, a locking bolt extended through said slotsand between said fulcrums having one end slidably mounted on said rod,whereby the swinging movement of the rod, imparts rotary, tilting,sliding movement to the bolt.

17. In a device of the class described, a structure having an opening, aclosure member for said opening, a retainer having spaced curved guideslots and spaced fulcrums between said slots, a pivoted rod, a lockingbolt extended through said slots and between said fulcrums having oneend slidably mounted on said rod, whereby the swinging movement of therod, imparts rotary, tilting, sliding movement to the bolt for movingthe other end of said bolt from position within the outline of theclosure member to position projecting beyond said outline and fromposition in a plane spaced from the structure to position engaging saidstructure.

' 18. In a device of the class described, a

support, a retainer having spaced guide slots and spaced fulcrumsbetween saidslots, a pivoted rod, a locking bolt extended through saidslots and between said fulcrums having one end slidably mounted on saidrod,

whereby the swinging movement of the rod, imparts movement to the bolt.

19. In a device of the class described,a' locking bolt provided with ahead, having a surface offset from the locking bolt, a reof the stepmember will cause the bolt to be movedtoward or from the planeof thesurface adjacent to t-he support. I

21. In a device of the class described, the combination of a door frameand a door elementhaving a step member pivotally mounted on said door,a. keeper device" mounted on said door, a latch loosely pivoted in saidkeeper device, said latch having one end loosely retained by said stepmember at a point spaced away from the pivotal point between said latchand keeper devices whereby the movement of said step will cause one endof said latch to move relative thereto and to move in its pivotalconnection in said keeper device for causing the free end of said latchto'inove toward and from the door frame and also upwardly anddownwardly.

Des Moines, Iowa, July 26,1916.

' FRANK J. VAN COTT.

